Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story apart from the plot, the rest is Marvel's (lucky them).
Thoughts
{Psyche's in Rouge's head and when Rouge talks to them}
Xavier telepathically talking to people
Chapter One: Old Friends.
'So to summarise we will have a new student with us by the end of the week?' The Prof said looking over the group.
Great, another person who can fucking avoid me and flinch when ever I'm near them. Rouge thought to herself, she hated that she still hadn't learned to control her powers. After all the hours spent with Dr. McCoy and the Prof she had only got her control up to 5 minutes. She had thought about going to get the new 'Cure' they had just bought out but couldn't bring herself to do it.
'Who is it? The new kid?' Rouge asked without even knowing she was going to.
'I'm afraid I can not divulge that information with you, our new student wants me to keep their identity hidden until their arrival and I will respect their wishes.' The Professor said putting his hands together and resting them on his desk.
'Is it a dude or a chick?' This comment came from none other then Bobby Drake, the resident clown at 'Mutant High'. "God I hope it's a chick!" He added turning to Alex Summers and waggling his eyebrows.
'As I have said Mr Drake, I can't tell you so you will have to all wait and see what I can say is that the particular person might not be to everyone's liking but I expect you all to welcome them with open arms.' Xavier said giving everyone a look of caution 'Now go on, off to school with you all.'
Everyone started to make their way out of Xavier's office but Rouge hung back until the hustle had gone.
'Stripes wait up.' Logan said from behind her. Logan was the only person she felt understood her in this house. They both didn't know where they came from and they were both runners, everyone knew that about Rouge, the clue is in the title.
'Whats tha matta Lohgin?' she said turning and smiling up at him.
'Well ya know that I love ya right, like your my own daughter' he stuttered and she nodded 'Well I was wondering if I could, ya know, if ya'd like, if I could… adopt…ya.'
'Lohgin Ah…' Rouge started.
'Yeah, ya right. It was a stupid idea. Sorry to bring it up. Have a nice day at school.' Logan said shuffling from foot to foot before turning away.
'Ah'd love ta be yah daughter' she whispered as he walked away.
The next thing Rouge knew she was in the mother of all bear hugs which was being given to her by a man who was known for being as hard as nails. 'That's great, I'm so happy. I promise I will be the best Dad I could ever be. You won't regret this.' Logan stammered.
Is he crying?
{I am bloody well not crying Stripes, I'm the Wolverine not Scott Summers for crying out loud} her mini Logan grumbled in her head and she couldn't help but smile.
'Ah'm gonna be lahte for school if ya don't put me down Lohgin' Rouge said laughing.
'Oh sorry Stripes' he said putting her gently on the floor 'Ya know ya can call me Dad if ya want, it will hopefully be official soon so if ya like ya can call me that.'
'OK, Ah'll give it a trail period. Dahd. Can I tell people? You know the news?' The goth girl said looking and feeling a tad uncomfortable.
'Yeah sure, I think they would figure it out anyway if you started calling me Dad. Ya get to school now, don't want ya to be late, what kind of father would I be then. Love ya kiddo.'
'Love ya to. Bye… Dahd' she said running out the door feeling really uncomfortable now. Affection was always a big no-no when she was involved, she didn't know how to react to it. This was foreign territory. She had a family now, a family that loved her. Sweet Jesus, what the hell was she supposed to do with that?
'Hey Ro' Logan said walking into the Institute kitchen and taking Storm by the waist and kissing her deeply.
When he let her breath again she straightened up and put her arms round his neck and asked 'What's with the good mood honey?'
'She said yes Ro, Rouge said yes to me adopting her. You have no idea how happy I am right now' he looked into her eyes and she could see nothing but pure happiness staring back at her.
'Logan that's great.' she smiled but she didn't really feel it. She didn't think he was serious about adopting Rouge. He had only spoken about it with her once and if he was serious she didn't in a million years think Rouge would accept. Where did that leave her? Where did that leave her and Logan's relationship? She loved him like she had never loved anyone before and didn't want to have to give that up.
He must have noticed that she wasn't entirely happy because he gave her a look so serious that she thought he could see all the way into her soul. 'Whats the matter? Aren't you happy for me, for us?'
'God no I'm happy for you and I don't want to sound selfish but where does that leave me? Are we going to stay together? Will Rouge kind of become my daughter?' she blabbered and then felt embarrassed.
He didn't speak for a couple of minutes so she looked up at him and saw him looking right back at her. 'Logan, I'm sorry, you're not mad at me are you?'
He surprised her by starting to laugh. 'Ororo, I love you. We will stay together, I have no idea if that makes Rouge kind of your daughter, we will have to talk to her at some point and that leaves you in the exact same place you are now.'
She rested her forehead on his, she loved him when he was like this, everyone saw Logan as this mean, fun sponge ball buster but really when they were alone he was sweet, kind and a mushy old sod. 'I love you James Howlett.'
'I love ya too Ororo Munroe.' He whispered against her lips as he brushed his past hers.
Storm, Wolverine, I need to speak with you in my office if you wouldn't mind.
The weather witch was about to break away from Logan's hold and their kiss when he put his hand on the small of her back and mumbled 'Chuck can wait a little while, he'll understand.'
Logan made it hard for her to resist him when he started to kiss her neck. 'It sounds important Logan; we should see what he wants.' When he sighed in defeat and stepped back, letting go of her she grabbed his hand entwining them and breathed into his ear, 'We have all day.'
She started to walk and dragged her Logan along with her, she laughed out loud when he groaned in anticipation.
A moment later they were sat in the Professor's office, Storm with a cup of tea and Wolverine with a beer.
"So what's this all about Chuck, it sounded quite important? Anything we should be worried about?" the wolf man said after taking a swig of a beer.
"Well first of all congratulations on your new... child shall we say. I already took the liberty of getting you the papers, all you have to do is sign OK" Charles said getting some papers out of the top drawer and placing them in front of Logan who smiled and started to look over them. "Anyway it is about our new student who is on the way."
"What about them?" Ororo said a look of concern clouding her eyes.
"Well you may remember a certain Cajun thief from a couple of months ago..."
"WHAT!" Logan started to shout and Storm looked at him nervously, she knew exactly what he was going to say, the Cajun the Prof spoke of had kidnapped and used his new daughter a couple of months ago. "You're going to let him come here, after what he did to Rouge, he cannot be here while she is, I'm don't want him anywhere near her!"
"Logan, I know how you feel about Remy LeBeau but everyone deserves a second chance and I believe in me letting Mr LeBeau come here that I am giving him his" the telepath said trying to appease the hairy man.
"Just you wait till Stripes hears about this. She will not be happy Chuck and her wrath won't be directed at me I can assure ya." Logan said getting up and storming out of the office.
"I will speak to him Professer, but you should have spoken to him before you agreed to letting Gambit stay, you know how protective Logan is of Rouge" Ororo said leaning across the desk and squeezing he telepaths hand.
"The boy is only 18, he has no family in which he wishes to speak of and with all the anti-mutant hate around here, he had no place to go. What was I supposed to do? Leave him to get captured by the government and have him exploited by scientists? No I will not do that so Logan will just have to get over it and he will."
"I hope he does Charles, for your sake."
"Rouge. Hey Rouge, like over here!"
"Hey Kit" Rouge waved as she walked over to the Valley girl. "Ah have huge news for ya."
"Looks like I turned up at the right time doesn't it?" Wanda said coming and sitting next to Kitty on the bench in front of Rouge.
"Well, afta ya'll all left this morning, Lohgin cahlled meh back and asked me if he could… adopt meh!" Rouge said with the biggest smile on her face.
"WHAT?! That's, like so good for you. You like totally deserve it. I'm so happy for you." Shadowcat said jumping off the bench and hugging the for once happy goth girl.
"Wow. I can't believe you turned the Wolverine. Is he all mushy now? Did he cry?" Wanda asked looking more and more excited with the prospect of a crying wolf man.
{No I did not cry. Tell her} Rouge's mini-Logan protested unsheathing his claws and growling.
{Cool it old man} Mini-Wanda growled back shooting a hex at the other psyche.
{HEY! Both a ya stop okay. Back in ya pens, ya'll are givin meh a headache} Rouge said sternly to the psyches but chuckled when they both hung their heads and shuffled back to the pens that Rouge had set up in her head so she could stay sane.
"Rouge? Like Rouge are you in there?"
Rouge turned her head to see her best friends looking at her with a look of concern in their eyes. "Sorry, What were ya'll sahyin?"
"We were just saying we should throw you and your 'Dad' a party to celebrate" Wanda said shaking her head at Rouge.
"Yeah, Ah suppose we could but noht yet okay, nothings official and we haven't even sighned papers yet. The adoption service might not let Loghin adopt meh" Rouge said sadly, realising the truth of what she was saying.
"Like why wouldn't they? I have never seen to people more alike in my life." Kitty said jumping up at the sound of the bell and grabbing both goth girls and walking in with them.
"Ain't ya nevah heard o' a little thang called mutant hate sugah?"
"As you all knew when you picked music as your chosen subject you have to form a band for the last part of our project. I know that may sound fun but this will in some respects be the hardest part of your course. You will not only have to perform at a live event, you will have to plan the whole thing. From the lighting to the seating and everything in between." Mr Barnes was pacing at the front of the classroom explaining the last part of the project.
Rouge looked around the classroom for people she could work with. There weren't any other mutants in the class; there weren't even people who were her friends. Spectacular, this should be real fun. A band of one.
"Here are your work packs, everything you need to know are in these packs. All the jobs that need doing and all. Get to it." Mr Barnes declared.
Everyone in the class jumped up and formed groups straight away. What to do? So many people who want to work with me. Rouge said to herself sarcastically.
"Rouge?" Rouge spun round to see Lexy Halt staring at her friendly. Lexy was a typical 'rock-chick', she had shoulder length brown hair which has kind of messy and an 'undone' look about her which she pulled off well. Rouge smiled reluctantly back and Lexy raised her hand and beckoned her over. "You look like you have no one to work with so your going to work with us. I've heard your vocals and they are pretty tight and we need a singer."
Rouge looked from her to the other person in her group who was Chris Mason a really talented drummer who whenever you saw him was tapping out some kind of beat. He had black hair that was kind of long and scruffy and he had ripped jeans and a checked shirt on. "Reahlly?" she asked in disbelief, "Ya'll not worried Ah might 'zap' ya? Everyone else seems to be."
Chris looked up from the drum sticks he was twirling in his hands and said with a grin "Why should we care? Your not going to zap us. Your no different from everyone else, your human too."
"Ah'm glad ya'll see it that way. Not many do. Thanks fo' letting meh work with ya'll."
"Hey no problem."
After the three of them had sorted out who was doing what and thought of some ideas for where they were going to play and what they were going to play, they all swapped numbers and went their separate ways.
Rouge was having an unusually happy day, she was finally getting the family she wanted, there was going to be a party to celebrate it and some people had actually accepted her as a mutant and not cared what she could do because the thing they recognised was music and music doesn't care who or what you are.
When she got back to the institute she headed straight to her room to change for a DR session that she had booked for herself.
When she pulling on the X suit she heard a bampf and pulled her head through the top to see her adoptive brother sitting on top of her wardrobe.
"Hey sis, is vhere a DR session or somvhing?" he asked in his thick, German –worried- tone.
"No, Ah'm just gonna have one to get away from it all, ya know?" she said sitting on the side of the bed and pulling on her boots.
"I know vhat you mean. Vhings can get hectic round here." He said his tail swinging from side to side. "Anything you vant to tell your dear brother while I'm here?"
"Ah know fo a fact that Kittayh has already told ya. That girl can not keep gossip fo fahve minutes."
"Actually she lasted a whole day; she has only just come and told me."
"Only cos ya weren't at school cos o ya holo-watch." Rouge laughed, "Did ya get the prof ta look at it yet?"
"Ya he is fixing it now. Should be ready for tomorrow."
"Okay, any questions ya have about mah adoption, can they please waiht till latah cos Ah'm a little busy raght now?" Rouge said getting up from her bed and going over to the door and heading out.
"I vill hold you to that mein sweister. That's a promise." The blue boy shouted after her.
Wolverine thought it would be a good idea to leave his new daughter for a couple of days for it all to sink in. After this week her would sit down with her and he, Rouge and Storm would go over all the papers that Charles had given him.
For now all he was worried about was that damn Cajun being around his Stripes. He was ready to kill that LeBeau after he had kidnapped her for his own personal gain. He used her to get information and that was unacceptable. Charles was a naïve fool for thinking people could change, could they hell!
He decided that he would have a little chat with Mr LeBeau when he got here. Just a few ground rules though that's all.
Sckint.
Yeah, just a few ground rules.
"OK, so lets just go done the list of things to do. We have to sort out marketing and advertising, health and safety, venue and material, technical stuff, Chris I think we can safely say that is your department, right Rouge?" Lexy asked on their Thursday music lesson, it was the last lesson of the day.
"Definitely, Ah could do a little but Ah would probably break it so Ah'll leahve it to ya." Rouge chuckled. "So Ah'll take health and safety. Do ya wanna do marketing and advertising and we'll all do venue and material? Sound good?"
"Fine by me. Lex?" Chris stated looking up and looking at the two girls.
"Fine by me" just then the bell rang and the three of them said went to get their bags from their seats. When Rouge was walking out of the room she heard a voice calling from behind her.
"Rouge! Rouge wait up" Chris said as he ran to catch her up.
"Hey whats up? Got a problem with ya job or something?" Rouge said with a smile as they carried on walking together to the parking lot.
"No, no I'm fine with it. I was just wondering if you wanted to go grab a cup of coffee or something?" he said nervously looking at the floor.
"Er… I don't know."
"I don't care about you being a mutant. It's Rouge the girl I wanna get to know, not Rouge the mutant."
"Ah…Ah…" Rouge stuttered then finally gave in "Okay why not! Ah'll meet ya at BB's at the mahll."
"Ok great, I'll meet you there. See you in a few."
"So what's the whole deal with mutants then, are they friend or foe?" Chris asked as they sat on a bench in the mall gardens.
Rouge sat beside him and took a drink from her warm coffee, marvelling in it's warmth. "Ah thought ya wanted ta get ta know Rouge the girl not Rouge the mutant?"
"I do but you never know what to believe these days so I thought I'd find out from the horses mouth so to speak."
Rouge sighed "Okay, Ah'll be honest, it depends who ya meet. The X-men we faght fo good, fo peace an harmony between mutants and humans but some mutants disagree, they believe that mutants are mo' evolved, that we're a higher rahce."
"Do you believe that? That you're a higher race?" Chris said looking Rouge directly in the eye and not letting her drop her gaze.
"Ah used ta. When people would shout at meh in the street and cahll meh names, Ah used ta think, 'How do they not realise we are all human? They must be stupid' But then Ah realised that most o' them were just afraid o' the unknown, what they didn't understand." Rouge said matter-of-factly.
"I think your right, I believe that every person is different but we are all corely the same mutant and human alike and some people like Principal Kelly should just accept that we are in a changing world."
"Wow Chris, Ah nevah thought Ah would meet someone lahke ya. It's refreshing, ya get a little tihred from havin' ta listen to the same idiots lahke Duncan Matthews." Rouge said with a smile.
"I can't begin to know what you mean but your right that guy is a tool." Chris laughed and Rouge couldn't help but join in.
Rouge didn't know how long they were out talking but when Rouge arrived home it was dark and she was met by an anxious Kitty and an annoyed Logan.
"Where have you been young lady? It's nine o'clock and you havn't been home, not only that but you didn't even call to say you would be going out." Logan said folding his arms over his chest.
"Ah'm sorry Dad, Ah was out with a friend from mah music class and we lost track of tahme. Ah should o' cahlled."
"It's OK kid just call next time. K?"
She nodded, hugged Logan and then made her way to her room with an impatient Kitty on her heels.
When she was in her room she shut the door and went to get ready for bed in the bathroom. When she was in there Kitty's head phased through the wall from her room next door.
"That new kids here tomorrow morning. Early the prof said so we will all meet them at breakfast. Where were you tonight?" The valley girl asked excited.
"Ah was with Chris Mason, he is in mah Music band. No Ah don't lahke him lahke that, we are just friends." Rouge said turning to one of her best friends who just nodded and wished Rouge goodnight.
There will be questions tomorrow. Rouge thought to herself as she settled down in bed.
The next morning Rouge was up and ready for half six in the morning. She was going to leave the house before breakfast and the inevitable questions from Kitty and the also inevitable new kid.
When she was out of the house she drove to the mall (which seems always to be open) and sat in BB's for an hour before making her way slowly to school.
She avoided all people from the institute at all costs, even jumping into the boys locker rooms to avoid a little miss perfect Jean. As you can imagine the she was whistled at and cat called while in there so cursed Jean for walking by.
"Hey Rouge." Lexy said as the goth girl sat down in her usual seat behind Lexy. "We have a new kid in our group apparently. Principal Kelly gave him to Chris as like a charge for him to guide round or something so he is in all his classes."
"No that's fahne Ah guess. Does the guy know about meh and mah…well…power?" Rouge asked nervously.
Just then Chris walked in and came to the girls who were sat waiting for him. "Right the kid is outside. Are you OK with this?" he said looking at Rouge and winking.
"It's fine bring him in." Rouge said pointing at the door.
Chris disappeared for a moment then came in with a tall slender, but muscled boy stood next to him. Rouge couldn't see his face could swear she recognised something about the boy.
He looked up then, his red eyes glowing furiously when he saw the white haired goth.
"Let me introduce you" Chris announced.
"Chere?" came that smooth Cajun voice that Rouge knew so well. That's why she recognised him.
"Remy LeBeau?" she asked in disbelief and her voice was thick with anger. He was the new kid at the institute; she did well to leave early.
"You two know each other?" Lexy asked.
"Ole' Friends" Gambit stated.